This may sound silly, but there are many possible health benefits that can come from wearing jewelry. People have been wearing jewelry for millennia, and it isn’t always just for aesthetic purposes.
Wearing jewelry can positively impact everything from mental and emotional to physical health through alternative medicine. So, let’s take a look at exactly how wearing jewelry benefits your health.
Mental and Emotional Benefits
The most common and, frankly, very obvious benefit to wearing jewelry that you love is that it will boost your confidence and self-esteem. Your favorite jewelry pieces are going to help you with your self-image and improve your mood when you wear them. This will lead to overall improvements in your mental health and put you in a positive frame of mind.
Jewelry that is significant to you, like family heirlooms or gifts from loved ones, will provide you with comfort. Jewelry with symbolic and sentimental value can provide you with solace and bring happy memories of the people who owned the jewelry before you or those who gifted those pieces to you.
Many believe that certain stones and metals like amethyst and hematite have calming effects on people. The best part is they don’t have to be super expensive either; there is so much affordable quality jewelry made from these materials, and wearing jewelry made from these metals and decorated with those stones can help with stress relief and reduce your anxiety.
Physical Health Benefits
As we said above, there are some gemstones that are believed to have healing properties. Some examples of crystals that have these properties are turquoise for anti-inflammatory benefits and jade for detoxification, to name a few.
If crystals are not for you, you can always look into magnetic and copper jewelry. Magnetic bracelets and necklaces have been known to alleviate pain, improve circulation and relaxation, give you more energy, and contribute to better sleep. They are non-invasive, and you don’t really notice that you are wearing them. Copper bracelets are believed to help with mostly the same things as magnetic jewelry, plus the added benefit of specifically helping relieve pain in people with arthritis in their wrists.
Silver and gold jewelry have several health benefits. Silver has antimicrobial properties that can protect you from harmful bacteria, and it is also very cooling and calming to the skin, especially for people who tend to overheat. Gold jewelry is believed to have an anti-inflammatory effect, which can help people with arthritis or other inflammatory joint conditions; like silver, it also helps with temperature regulation.
Acupressure and Piercings
There are a lot of ways that jewelry can help your body through acupressure. Not only have some piercings been proven to help with chronic pain, for example, the daith piercings for migraine relief, but for those not ready to commit to a piercing, there is the choice of acupressure jewelry. The acupressure jewelry has tiny dots that constantly put pressure on certain pressure points, which then help you with whatever pain you may be experiencing.
Most of these points are on the ear, so it is easy to pierce them or wear acupressure earrings.
Practical Considerations
There are other factors to consider when it comes to jewelry and your health. On the surface, choosing jewelry that is not cheaply made and won’t leave a residue on your skin is the key to confidence and self-esteem. There are so many affordable jewelry brands out there that will make you feel like you are wearing custom pieces made just for you.
Next is avoiding allergic reactions; before committing to a complete set of a particular metal, make sure you are not allergic to it. Many people have nickel allergies, and some rare people have a silver allergy even though it is one of the hypoallergenic metals, so jewelry made from those metals is not something they can wear. Other safe and hypoallergenic metals are platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which are fantastic not just for people with allergies but also for people with sensitive skin.
The last thing you need to know is how to properly clean and maintain your jewelry so that the buildup of dead skin, dirt, and product doesn’t cause any issues. There are many ways to clean your jewelry at home, the most common one being warm water and washing up liquid. There is the baking soda plus water combo to help your silver jewelry shine. But if you have old jewelry especially, the best thing to do is to take it to get cleaned professionally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when you wear jewelry, it is more than just for the aesthetic; it can contribute to both mental and physical well-being in various ways. From boosting confidence and self-esteem to providing emotional comfort, jewelry can have a powerful psychological impact. Whether the jewelry you wear is a gift from a loved one that brings back fond memories or a gemstone believed to have calming properties, jewelry has the ability to enhance mood and reduce stress.
On a physical level, certain metals and gemstones are thought to offer healing properties. Silver’s antimicrobial qualities may help protect against bacteria, while gold is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects that support joint health. Magnetic and copper jewelry have long been associated with improved circulation, pain relief, and relaxation.
Moreover, acupressure and piercings, such as the daith piercing for migraines, provide alternative ways jewelry can support physical health.
Practical considerations, such as choosing high-quality materials, avoiding allergens, and properly maintaining your jewelry, ensure that these benefits are maximized.
By selecting the right pieces, you can enjoy the health perks of jewelry while complementing your personal style. Ultimately, jewelry is not just about looking good – it’s about feeling good, too, making it a timeless investment in both beauty and well-being.